Gang link probed in deadly shootings

LODI - Investigators believe the gang ties of several young teens led to two recent shootings in Lodi and that the violence may have spilled into north Stockton a few days later, authorities said.

Jason Anderson

LODI - Investigators believe the gang ties of several young teens led to two recent shootings in Lodi and that the violence may have spilled into north Stockton a few days later, authorities said.

Detectives with the Stockton and Lodi police departments are investigating three shootings that occurred over four days, all of which involved gang-affiliated Lodi teens whose ages ranged from 14 to 19, authorities said.

"I think the community is very surprised at the ages of some of these gang members we're coming into contact with and the seriousness of the crimes they're being accused of, arrested for and charged with," said Lt. Sierra Brucia, a spokesman for the Lodi Police Department. "It's troubling to see a 14-year-old going down that path."

The first shooting occurred at 9:48 p.m. May 31 near Garry's Lounge in the first block of South School Street in Lodi, authorities said. Two men, ages 25 and 53, were wounded by shotgun blasts, police said. Both victims are expected to survive, Brucia said.

The next day, investigators arrested two 14-year-old boys on suspicion of attempted murder with gang enhancements, authorities said. One of the boys was found in possession of a short-barreled shotgun, police said.

There was more gunfire in downtown Lodi just five minutes after the South School Street shooting, this time involving a handgun near the Golden Era Hotel in the first block of South Main Street, authorities said.

A teenager was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died as a result of his injuries, police said. The San Joaquin County Coroner's Office has identified the victim as Julio Avalos, 15, of Lodi.

Lodi police believe both of those shootings were gang-related, Brucia said.

Three days later, at 1:37 p.m., Jose Ulloa Jr., 19, of Lodi was gunned down near his father's home in the 700 block of Kirkby Lane in north Stockton, about 10 miles south of where the Lodi shootings occurred, authorities said.

Co-workers at the Denny's restaurant where Ulloa worked described him as a friendly, hardworking young man, but he was also known to associate with members of a Norteņo street gang, Lodi police said.

Detectives would not say how the fatal shootings were connected, but they believe there's a link, said Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department.

"This is still a very active homicide investigation, but we believe Jose Ulloa's homicide was related to the homicide in Lodi, and we believe it was gang-related," Silva said.

Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8279 or janderson@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/crimeblog and on Twitter @Stockton911.